Kittitas County, Washington Demographics 2026

Name: Kittitas County, Washington Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Kittitas County, Washington has a population of 47,172, the 23rd most populous county in Washington. The median household income is $73,804 and the median home value is $497,400. The poverty rate is 14.4%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Kittitas County Quick Facts

Population 47,172

Median Household Income $73,804

Median Home Value $497,400

Poverty Rate 14.4%

Unemployment Rate 6.3%

Median Age 35.8 years

Homeownership Rate 61.5%

Affordability Ratio 6.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 37.0%

High School Graduation 93.4%

Cities/Places 9

Population 47,172 23rd of 39

Median Income $73,804 25% lower than state

Poverty Rate 14.4%

Unemployment 6.3%

How Kittitas County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	44,736	47,172	+5.4%
Median household income	$69,928	$73,804	+5.5%
Median home value	$459,900	$497,400	+8.2%

Median Household Income

Kittitas

$73,804

$98,141

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Kittitas

$497,400

$564,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.7%

$25K-$50K 20.5%

$50K-$100K 25.7%

$100K+ 38.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.6%

$10K-$15K

2.8%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

2.9%

$25K-$30K

2.9%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

3.9%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

4.9%

$60K-$75K

9.7%

$75K-$100K

11.1%

$100K-$125K

9.7%

$125K-$150K

7.9%

$150K-$200K

8.8%

$200K+

11.7%

Employment

6.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

61.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.5%

Renter 38.5%

Affordability Index Expensive

6.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,341/mo 21.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

16.7%

18-34

32.3%

35-54

21.3%

55-74

23.2%

75+

6.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 56 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Kittitas County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Ellensburg	20,874	$55,438	22.4%	$404,100
Cle Elum	1,905	$63,973	9.8%	$451,000
Kittitas	1,221	$80,278	11.6%	$316,700
Roslyn	1,076	$104,800	5.0%	$565,200
Easton	647	$112,500	5.6%	$769,300
South Cle Elum	579	$66,750	13.8%	$374,300
Snoqualmie Pass	428	$140,054	5.6%	$962,100
Thorp	230	$120,739	8.7%	$372,700
Ronald	119	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Washington Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Kittitas County is located in Washington with a total population of 47,172. It is the 23rd most populous county out of 39 in Washington. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kittitas County is 35.8 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 38.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kittitas County is $73,804. This is 25% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.4%. This is 45% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $497,400. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $564,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 61.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Kittitas County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.5%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 3.9%. The Asian population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 9.7%.

Education

37.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 39.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Kittitas County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Washington and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Kittitas County, Washington?

Kittitas County has a population of 47,172, making it the 23rd most populous county in Washington.

What is the median income in Kittitas County?

The median household income in Kittitas County is $73,804 with a poverty rate of 14.4%.

How many cities are in Kittitas County, Washington?

Kittitas County contains 9 Census-designated places.